UBC study finds workplace ostracism can be more damaging than bullying

Published: May 30, 2014

A study from UBC finds that workplace ostracism to be worse than bullying. File photo: AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner

IANS

Toronto Â – Getting the cold shoulder at work can be more harmful to your health than bullying, a University of British Columbia study has found.

According to the study, being ignored at work cannot only make the urge to quit your job stronger, but it’s even worse for physical and mental well-being than the act of bullying.

“Ostracism actually leads people to feel more helpless, like they are not worthy of any attention at all,” said UBC professor Sandra Robinson.

The researchers found that people who claimed to have experienced ostracism were significantly more likely to report a degraded sense of workplace belonging and commitment, a stronger intention to quit their job and a larger proportion of health problems.

“There are many people who feel quietly victimized in their daily lives, and most of our current strategies for dealing with workplace injustice do not give them a voice,” Robinson added.